US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink confirmed Monday at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference that the US has deployed an "on orbit" weapon in Earth's orbit, marking the first official acknowledgment of such offensive capabilities. Meink stated the weapon was necessary to safeguard US forces against hostile action but did not disclose its capabilities or deployment timeline. The announcement follows senior military leaders' plans to boost space capabilities, citing Russian and Chinese programmes developing anti-satellite weapons.

China responded Tuesday warning against an "arms race" in space, urging the US to stop expanding military capabilities in orbit. US Space Force officials described "space control" as employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to disrupt, degrade, or destroy adversary capabilities. Dr Bleddyn Bowen from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) speculated the weapon could be an electronic warfare or radio jamming platform, or less likely a kinetic kill vehicle that would create debris.

The Trump administration has emphasized space-based capabilities as crucial for its planned "Golden Dome" defence system. The US Space Force, established in 2019 as the first new military branch in over 70 years, protects hundreds of satellites. A 1967 treaty banned weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but key powers including the US, Russia, and China have explored other capabilities like targeting rivals' satellites. In 2024, the US accused Russia of launching a potentially offensive satellite.